Many thanks to Dr Jimmy Begg for providing some of his research on the Bank Brickworks.
Bank Brickworks, New Cumnock, East Ayrshire.
1890‘s – Probably when Bank Brickworks was built “for many years prior to 1926, brickmaking had been a subsidiary branch activity at Bank” (Carvel – History of the New Cumnock Coalfield).
1899 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests the brickworks were started c. 1899 and were owned by the New Cumnock Collieries Limited.
Below – 1908 – Bank Brickworks. (The works are not referred to on the 1857 map. The buildings as seen on the 1908 map are referred to on the 1948 map but they have not titled them as the Bank Brickworks).
Below – 1939 – This is a photograph of an Ayrshire Brickworks. The title to the top right is incomplete. Could it be the Bank Brickworks?
1947 – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests the works were taken over by the National Coal Board.
1951 – “One of the side industries is a composition brickworks at Bank employing 20 men and turning out two and a half million bricks per annum”.
Early 1960‘s – The 1985 publication ‘A survey of Scottish brickmarks’ suggests the works closed around this time.
Found by Ian Suddaby in the Ravenscraig, Motherwell area. This example is not in my possession. Note the ‘B’ is reversed in relation to the main stamp. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock, Ayrshire or the Afton Brickworks, Avonbridge. . .
Found by Paddy and Daisy MacDonald in the New Cumnock area. This example is not in my possession. Dated 74 for 1974 and 3 cored. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock. . .
Found by Paddy and Daisy MacDonald in the New Cumnock area. This example is not in my possession. Dated 74 for 1974 and 3 cored. There may be a ‘9’ stamped to the right of the main stamp. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock. . .
Found by Paddy and Daisy MacDonald in the New Cumnock area. This example is not in my possession. Dated 73 for 1973 and 3 cored. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock. . .
Found in the New Cumnock area. This is a bull-nosed example. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock. . . . Below – A standard shaped brick with the same stamp. Found by Paddy and Daisy MacDonald in the New Cumnock area. This example is not in my possession.
Found by Paddy and Daisy MacDonald in the New Cumnock area. This example is not in my possession. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock . . . Below – A very similar stamp on a bull-nosed brick with a square frog. The top line is in a slightly different alignment to the bottom line from the stamp…
Found in Bathville, West Lothian. Barbauchlaw Brick Works, Armadale, West Lothian. . . . .
Found at the Avonbridge Brickworks Avonbridge. Avonbridge Brickworks, Avonbridge, Falkirk Alternative names: Avon Brickworks Redford Fireclay Works Candiehead Brickworks . Below – An intact but worn example found by Andrew Wood near Blackgrange, Clackmannanshire.
Found by Tam Frew in the Muirkirk, East Ayrshire area. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock or the Afton Brickworks, Avonbridge? . . . .
Found by Eddie McLean in the Ayrshire area. Afton Brickworks, New Cumnock, Ayrshire. . . . . Below – Virtually the same stamp but not quite. The spacing of the letters is different. Found by Max Borland at Clydebank, Glasgow.
